Elegantly personal reflections on the death of Osama Bin Laden from the World Service
Within seconds of Osama bin Laden's death being announced, said Tony Grant (pictured), introducing From Our Own Correspondent (World Service), "front pages were hastily remade, while correspondents were dispatched to airports". FOOC, as the show is known, relies on those already in place for its always-listenable reports.
In this 10-minute programme, FOOC reminded us of its power and range. I liked Stephen Evans's report, which mingled his memories of being in the reception of the World Trade Center south tower on the morning of 9/11 ("I took it as a personal attack") and his reaction to the news of Bin Laden's death.
It was, he admitted, "unequivocal and loud", though he then hesitated: "In the interests of impartiality, I shall decline to describe it further." Journalistic ideals wobbled as he recalled buying a "Dead or Alive" T-shirt featuring Bin Laden in the days following the New York attack, but only to illustrate the vortex of mixed feelings his experience stirred. Now he reports from Berlin, and went on soberly to assess the German media's coverage of Bin Laden's death.
His short essay, like Mohammed Harif's from Karachi in the same programme, gave thoughtful perspectives and personal reflection on subjectivity and different political contexts. As ever with FOOC, they did so with admirable economy and style.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/may/05/radio-review-our-own-correspondent
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